On this episode of Dental Hygiene Basics, Dana sits down with Alexis, a registered dental hygienist and entrepreneur, to discuss her inspiring journey into the field. Alexis shares her personal story of overcoming challenges such as being a working mom through school. Alexis also delves into the importance of sustainability in the dental industry and how she promotes eco-friendly dental products through her business, Freshies Co. This episode highlights the demands of dental hygiene education, t...
May 29, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Get ready to dive into the essential concepts that you should know before starting dental hygiene school! This episode covers the basics of cellular biology and how it ties to your education throughout courses like pharmacology, radiology, and histology. Don't miss out on this helpful review to excel in your future classes! See the full transcript HERE . Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE . Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: D...
May 22, 2024•6 min•Season 1Ep. 33
It's not what you know, it's who you know! Learn networking tips on this episode and hear about Dana's captivating transformation from a shy individual to a confident networker in the dental hygiene field. Explore the significance of networking early in the hygiene application process, joining pre-dental societies, and seeking shadowing opportunities. Discover the benefits of building relationships with professionals through in-person and online networking. Tune in to this episode for valuable i...
May 15, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Bethany Montoya, creator of Human RDH is a dental hygienist specializing in dental sleep medicine. She takes us through her incredible career journey, from music education to finding her true passion in dental hygiene. She shares how she overcame challenges, including expulsion from high school, dropping out of college, and being a mom in dental hygiene school through determination and hard work. Bethany also emphasizes the transformative power of mentorship and building a supportive network for...
May 08, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Did you know that after you graduate dental hygiene school, you are still not considered a registered dental hygienist? Well, unless you take and pass all of your state/national board exams first! I had an interesting discussion with a student that I tutor for the national board exams. She stated she did not know she would need to take a board exam when she decided to go to dental hygiene school! After this discussion, I decided I needed to share ALL of the steps that it takes to become a regist...
May 01, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Are you feeling jitters for an upcoming interview for dental hygiene school? In this week's episode, educator and podcast host, Billie Lunt shares her perspective as a professor who is on the application committee! She talks about her #RDHoriginstory and how she developed a passion for dentistry, which all started when she developed a geminated tooth! Her advice is invaluable to those looking to get into hygiene school. You'll get to learn how she recommends students prepare for this life-changi...
Apr 24, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 29
On this episode of the Dental Hygiene Basics, Dana shares valuable insights on crafting a compelling personal statement for dental hygiene school applications! She emphasizes the importance of a substantial personal statement reflecting passion and journey. Dana stresses the need for proofreading and seeking feedback to enhance the quality of your statement. She encourages applicants to highlight their achievements, motivations, and personal stories to stand out to the admissions comittee. Addit...
Apr 10, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Danielle and Laura (L'Diamante Dental Coaches) delve into the hot topic of preventing burnout and promoting overall well-being in the dental hygiene profession. By promoting healthy habits in hygiene school, students can create longevity for their career to be the best providers they can be! Through their valuable insights and strategies to mitigate burnout, they empower listeners to thrive in their careers and achieve their full potential. If you're looking into becoming a dental hygienist and ...
Apr 03, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Vlogger and second-year dental hygiene student Michael shares his experience leading up to dental hygiene school as he finishes the last semester in his dual-degree program! He talks about overcoming obstacles such as Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19 all while trying to get into hygiene school. Despite Michael's imperfect GPA and lack of dental experience, he still managed to get accepted into a DH program on his first try! We discuss his YouTube journey ( The Dental Queer-gienist ), paying for sch...
Mar 27, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Looking to get into dental hygiene school? Then you can't miss this episode of the Dental Hygiene Basics podcast! Dana shares her top advice for acing your dental hygiene school interview. From researching the program to dressing professionally, she covers it all. Learn how to showcase your communication skills, practice for common interview questions, and prepare answers to ethical-style questions and hypothetical situations. Don't forget to highlight your dental-related experiences and explain...
Mar 20, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Dach Ska is the host of the My Dental Hygiene School Experience Podcast. He shares his life in dental hygiene school, exposing the positive and negative moments. He is incredibly honest about his experience - including a current hiatus from dental hygiene school. His positive mindset is an important factor in his journey to graduating a registered dental hygienist. Find him on instagram @dachska.dental and definitely go check out his podcast! See the full transcript HERE Want a question answered...
Mar 13, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 24
It is never too early to prepare for dental hygiene school or the national board exams! One thing to know before you go: Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can affect the liver. It is transmitted via infected bodily fluids. As a dental hygienist, we work closely with patients and their oral health, which means potential exposure to Hepatitis B found in blood and saliva. Also, hepatitis B can survive for at least 7 days in dried blood left on surfaces (such as the dental chair). D...
Feb 28, 2024•8 min•Season 1Ep. 23
What do dental hygiene school admissions committees look for in terms of grades and GPA? Listen to today's episode to find out! Spoiler Alert: earning a C is not the end of the world! See the full transcript HERE Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:DHBasics@protonmail.com 🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available o...
Feb 14, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 22
This week's episode features Allison Norris - owner of The Dentele Group. Allison helps dental hygienists who are interested in stepping out of the op and into non-clinical roles. Her #RDHoriginstory starts with enrolling in nursing school and then realizing that was NOT for her! I loved our conversation because Allison is completely honest and talks about how she often skipped class when she was working on her prerequisites. She tried this in dental hygiene school, but she remembers one of her ...
Feb 07, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Wanting some tips for studying in dental hygiene school? I've got you covered on this week's episode. I answer your questions on the best study tools for dental hygiene students. See the full transcript HERE Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:DHBasics@protonmail.com Learning Style Quiz Manifestation Planner Study Timer: Pomofocus.io AAP help: Pe...
Jan 24, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 20
This week on the podcast, Dana reviews the bones of the viscerocranium. She got a little ahead of herself and forgot to mention one bone in this episode: the vomer! However, it can be found on the Dental Hygiene Basics Instagram page. The Know Before You Go topics are common concepts that are learned in dental hygiene school and are also commonly seen on the board exams! Let's get to learning! See the full transcript HERE Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE ...
Jan 17, 2024•5 min•Season 1Ep. 19
This week's episode features Britt from the famous @brushwithbritt on Instagram and TikTok. Britt is a dental hygienist in California, and she is a major influencer in the dental hygiene space. She is open and transparent about the pros and cons of dental hygiene, and she even discusses taboo topics such as pay. She is an amazing advocate for our profession, and I am so happy to celebrate her accomplishments on the show. Britt's RDH origin story is absolutely incredible. Not only did she graduat...
Jan 10, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 18
BONUS! I often find myself being asked....Dana, what do you do now? Well, here is my answer! Learn how I went from full-time dental hygiene educator to the owner of Dental Hygiene Basics (and a public health hygienist!) See the full transcript HERE Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE: https://forms.gle/HnF9tRHvAZ3Dja2g6 Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:DHBasics@protonmail.com 🔹...
Jan 01, 2024•11 min
In this week's episode, Dana responds to a listener's question about how to secure enough money to pay for dental hygiene school. Have you stopped to consider if all of your needs are met? We need certain needs met before we can survive and thrive (which includes food, water, shelter, safety). If finances are a major stressor for you, you will struggle to learn new information and retain that information. So how can you reduce financial stressors before getting into dental hygiene school? Listen...
Dec 27, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Do you have a dental hygiene binder? If not - start making one today! In this week's episode, I discuss why I started Dental Hygiene Basics and how to make a dental hygiene binder to showcase all of your amazing hopes, dreams, and skills! It is time to write your RDH origin story. See the full transcript HERE Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE Slide into my DMs: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:DHBasi...
Dec 13, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Ella shares her personal journey and experiences in the field of dental hygiene, offering valuable insights and guidance for aspiring dental hygienists. From discovering a passion for dental hygiene to navigating the demands of dental hygiene school, Ella provides practical advice and inspiration for those considering a career in this field. Ella started her dental hygiene education at UMKC with NO dental experience! She shares how she was commended for wearing purple (the color of dental hygien...
Dec 06, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Are you following Dental Hygiene Basics on Instagram yet? Each week, Dana posts a Know Before You Go To Dental Hygiene School Concept. So far, we have been focusing on the bones of the skull. This is a great anatomy refresher that will prepare you for the treacherous Head and Neck Anatomy of Dental Hygiene School! Listen in for an overview of what we have covered so far....and go follow me on Insta @dentalhygienebasics! See the full transcript here Have a question? Email me at dhbasics@protonmai...
Nov 29, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 14
A listener reached out with concerns about a lack of support system in her life. Dana provides advice on how to build a strong support system to help you on your journey to and through dental hygiene school! Have a question you would like answered? Fill out this form ! See the full transcript here Check me out on Insta: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Email: dhbasics@protonmail.com Support for persons of color: Brown.RDH on Instagram Other Podcasts: Positively Hygiene and Br...
Nov 22, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 13
This episode of the Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast features Ala'a, a new dental hygiene graduate. Ala'a talks about switching from a career in special education to dental assisting, and then COVID gave her a push to apply to dental hygiene school. She talks about how she had to overcome self-doubts when applying, but that she found herself more prepared when she arrived on campus because of her dental assisting background. Ala's story will be really helpful for someone who attended college in the...
Nov 14, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 12
This week's episode dives into the "stalker-y" side of dental hygiene admissions committees. Listen up for tips on how to protect yourself from social media scares and creepy google searches by admissions committees. I can't give away the third spooky thing - it's too spooky for words! Listen to hear what admissions committees don't want you to know. What are your biggest struggles right now on your dental hygiene school journey? Fill out this form , and I will create content just for you! Full ...
Oct 31, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Dana hosts Sonya Dunbar, also known as The Geriatric Tooth Fairy, on today's episode of the Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast. Sonya shares her incredible story of how she became an RDH. That story includes long-term struggles with dyslexia and failing her first year in dental hygiene school. However, Sonya had a dream, a vision, and a plan...She KNEW she was meant to be a dental hygienist. 32 years later, she is thriving as a dental hygienist, working towards her doctoral degree, and she owns her o...
Oct 15, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 10
This episode features Kimberly Augustus, owner of Bloom RDH, a company that helps dental hygiene graduates transition seamlessly from dental hygiene school into the working world. Kimberly started out with a career in finance before switching paths and heading to dental hygiene school at Middlesex Community College. She now teaches at the same college that she graduated from as an adjunct faculty! Kim had no prior dental experience before applying to dental hygiene school, but she didn't let tha...
Sep 25, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Dana is back on this episode of DH Basics to close out part 2 of "Preparing for Dental Hygiene School Admissions". Dana discusses getting a jump on dental hygiene school letters of recommendation and pre-planning for your personal statement. She covers getting ready for dental hygiene entrance exams and readying yourself for the interview process. See the full transcript here Check out episode #2 to hear all about Dana's crazy dental hygiene interview experience. Have a question or do you have a...
Sep 15, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 8
On this episode, Dana talks with Candice, a dental hygiene graduate from the Community College of Denver. After graduating with her associate's in dental hygiene in 2011, she immediately began a bachelor's completion program through Old Dominion University. Candice discusses how her career as a dental hygienist has helped her in her new role as a myofunctional therapist. She also covers tips for writing your personal statement, the lack of bachelor's dental hygiene programs in Colorado, and how ...
Aug 31, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 7
On today's episode, Dana discusses the steps to take when preparing to apply for dental hygiene school. Dana goes into the role of the dental hygienist, researching dental hygiene schools, planning for your requirements, obtaining hands-on experience, and the importance of extracurricular activities. This is part one of a two-part series that dives into the basics of preparing for dental hygiene school admissions. See the full transcript here Want to ask a question? Email me at dhbasics@protonma...
Aug 15, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 6
